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Leaking fuel tank
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Kleftiwallah



Joined: 27 Oct 2016
Posts: 222
Location: North Wiltshire

PostPosted: Sun Apr 29, 2018 6:33 pm    Post subject: Leaking fuel tank Reply with quote

The new replacement fuel tank I have owned for quite a qhile and already having fitted a fuel contents gauge I now discover has a small leak along a seam on the edge.

What to do, I have read that after ensuring all fuel and vapour has been removed, I can solder it up using a large soldering iron rather than a flame while the tank is as full as possible with water.

What are your thoughts on the matter chums?

Afterwards I'll need some fuel safe spray paint, any recommendations?

Cheers and thanks in advance, Tony
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Kenham



Joined: 12 Mar 2012
Posts: 209
Location: Kent

PostPosted: Sun Apr 29, 2018 9:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's the way I would go , marvellous thing is a large soldering iron plus Bakers fluid and a stick of solder.
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Kleftiwallah



Joined: 27 Oct 2016
Posts: 222
Location: North Wiltshire

PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 10:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Many thanks for that vote of confidence Kenham. I've just got to wait until mother nature has blown away the fumes. I did think about sloshing boiling water around inside the tank, but don't want to possibly distort the contents gauge float.

Cheers, Tony.
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MikeEdwards



Joined: 25 May 2011
Posts: 2463
Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 10:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I thought the idea of using a flame to heat a soldering iron to do the repair was to reduce the need to worry about residual fuel vapour, because the flame doesn't get anywhere near the tank?
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ukdave2002



Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 4100
Location: South Cheshire

PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 4:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I remember my Dad soldering a tank; he emptied it, sloshed hot water in it, emptied the water and then connected a vacuum cleaner to the tank inlet, removed the fuel gauge sender, warmed the tank up with a hair drier pointing in the sender apature and let this setup run for around 30 mins, the theory being that any residual fuel would be a vapour due to the tank being warm, and the vapour was well and truly purged.

Dave
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Kleftiwallah



Joined: 27 Oct 2016
Posts: 222
Location: North Wiltshire

PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 5:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Many thanks for those messages, I like the idea of the vacuum cleaner I may have to make an adaptor to the exhaust. I don't think sucking fumes into an electric motor is good sense!

Cheers, Tony.
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BigJohn



Joined: 01 Jan 2011
Posts: 954
Location: Wem, Shropshire

PostPosted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 7:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I heard a possible apocryphal tale from my Old Man of a cylinder vacuum turning into a rocket motor doing just that.....





But he had a very dry sense of humour. When I was about 6 or 7 I asked him why a brush head had two holes in it and only one handle, he told me the other hole was from the old days when the night shift road sweeper put his candle in the hole. Laughing
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Kleftiwallah



Joined: 27 Oct 2016
Posts: 222
Location: North Wiltshire

PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2018 5:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

"Afterwards I'll need some fuel safe spray paint, any recommendations"?

Any ideas people? Cheersw, Tony.

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Kenham



Joined: 12 Mar 2012
Posts: 209
Location: Kent

PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2018 10:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

An old man told me to run the exhaust into the tank when welding to stop the risk of explosion, never tried it myself. I did see a man weld a patch on a 1000 gallon diesel tank with an arc welder, the tank was full at the time. (don't try at home) I have a lovely big electric soldering iron, don't suppose you could buy one now.
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MVPeters



Joined: 28 Aug 2008
Posts: 822
Location: Northern MA, USA

PostPosted: Wed May 02, 2018 1:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

There are fuel-proof (!) epoxies available for fuel tanks.
I used one on a pretty major rusty seam leak some years ago with great success.
If it's a small leak & the fuel level is below the seam & dry, it might work without resort to soldering/welding.
I'm in the US, but try this:

https://www.jbweld.com/pages/faqs
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Kleftiwallah



Joined: 27 Oct 2016
Posts: 222
Location: North Wiltshire

PostPosted: Wed May 02, 2018 8:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

"I have a lovely big electric soldering iron, don't suppose you could buy one now.

I think I may have tha same model Kenham. Long long ago at an Ideal Home Exhibition I saw what appeared to be a ltge pair of pliers that were in fact two soldering irons with a cutout dor standard copper fixings, I bought on and it was ideal for soldering nipples on the end of cables.

But of course I lenty it out...

I must try and track down the manufacturers.

Cheers, Tony.

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jp928



Joined: 07 Jun 2016
Posts: 249
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Thu May 03, 2018 4:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have heard of tanks being rendered safe to solder by piping the exhaust into it, to displace all the vapour. I have had success with PC11 epoxy on a tank leak at the bottom - never lost a drop in years. Also JB water weld comes recommended.
jp 26 Rover 9
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Kleftiwallah



Joined: 27 Oct 2016
Posts: 222
Location: North Wiltshire

PostPosted: Fri May 04, 2018 5:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, it looks as if the soldering job has worked. No sign of any leak after an hour. I'll give it until tomorrow morning just to be sure.

Thanks to all who contributed.

Cheers, Ton y.
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Luegolover



Joined: 02 Mar 2017
Posts: 15
Location: London

PostPosted: Sun May 20, 2018 1:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What sort of solder did you use? Only the stuff I have is labeled and solder less solder and I an struggling to get a good joint on my tank.
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Luegolover



Joined: 02 Mar 2017
Posts: 15
Location: London

PostPosted: Sun May 20, 2018 6:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I must have been too excited earlier. I should have said that it was labelled lead free solder.
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